The Life & Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe Part-14

 

The Life & Adventures Of  Robinson Crusoe Part-14

Upon the whole, as I found by all his Discourse a settled Affection to me, and that nothing should part him from me, I found all the Foundation of his Desire to go to his own Country, was laid in his ardent Affection to the People, and Hopes of my doing them good; a Thing which as I had Notion of my Iself, so I had not the least Thought or Intention, or Desire of undertaking it. 

But still I found a rong Inclination to my attempting an Escape as above, unded on the Supposition gather'd from the Discourse, That there were seventeen bearded Men there, and herefore, without any more Delay, I went to Work with Friday to find out a great Tree proper to fell, and make a Periagua or large Canoe to undertake the Voyage. 

There vere Trees enough in the Island to have built a little Fleet, not of Periagua's and Canoes, but even of good large Vessels. But the main Thing I look'd at, was to get one so near the Water that we might launch it when it was made, to avoid the Mistake I committed at first.

At last, Friday pitch'd upon a Tree, for I found he knew much better than I what kind of Wood was fittest for it, or can I tell to this Day what Wood to call the Tree we cut down, except that it was very like the Tree we call Fustic, or between that and the Nicaragua Wood,2 for it was much of the same Colour and Smell. Friday was for burning the Hollow or Cavity of this Tree out to make it for a Boat. 

But I shew'd him how rather to cut it out with Tools, which, after I had shew'd him how to use, he did very handily, and in about a Month's hard Labour, we finished it, and made it very handsome, especially when with our Axes, which I shew'd him how to handle, we cut and hew'd the out-side into the true Shape of a Boat; after this, however, it cost us near a Fortnight's Time to get her along as it were Inch by Inch upon great Rowlers into the Water. But when she was in, she would have carry'd twenty Men with great Ease.

When she was in the Water, and tho' she was so big amazed me to see with what Dexterity and how swift m Man Friday would manage her, turn her, and paddle her along; so I ask'd him if he would, and if we might venture over in her; Yes, he said, he venture over in her very well, the great blow Wind. However, I had a farther Design that he knew nothing of, and that was to make a Mast and Sail and to fit her with an Anchor and Cable: As to a Mast, that was easy enough to get; so I pitch'd upon a strait young Cedar.

Tree, which I found near the Place, and which there was great Plenty of in the Island, and I set Friday to Work to cut it down, and gave him Directions how to shape and order it. But as to the Sail, that was my particular Care; I knew I had old Sails, or rather Pieces of old Sails enough, but as I had had them now six and twenty Years by me, and had not been very careful to preserve them, not imagining that 

I should ever have this kind of Use for them, I did not doubt but they were all rotten, and indeed most of them were so; however, I found two Pieces which appear'd pretty good, and with these I went to Work, and with a great deal of Pains, and awkward tedious stitching (you may be sure) for Want of Needles, I at length made a three Corner'd Cap ugly Thing, like what we call in England, a Shoulder of hac Mutton Sail, to go with a Boom at bottom, and a little Ac short Sprit at the Top, such as usually our Ships Long-in Boats sail with, and such as I best knew how to manage; La because it was such a one as I had to the Boat, in which I M made my Escape from Barbary, as related in the first Part m of my Story.

I was near two Months performing this last Work, viz. th rigging and fitting my Mast and Sails; for I finish'd them d very compleat, making a small Stay, and a Sail, or Foresail L to it, to assist, if we should turn to Windward; and which was more than all, I fix'd a Rudder to the Stern of her, to steer with; and though I was but a bungling Shipwright, yet as I knew the Usefulness, and even Necessity of such a Thing, I apply'd my self with so much Pains to do it, that at last I brought it to pass; though considering the many dull Contrivances I had for it that sail'd, I think it cost me almost as much Labour as making the Boat.